Yoga in India

Yoga in India

Yoga is the spiritual and cultural heritage of India. In Sanskrit, yoga means ‘to unite’ and describes a way to live a healthy life. It is believed that yoga originated in India about 5,000 years ago. The oldest known yogic teachings are known as Vedic yoga and can be found in the four Vedas – Rig Veda, Yajur-Veda, Sama-Veda and Atharva-Veda.

The great Sage Patanjali around the second century wrote “Yoga Sutra” that standardized Classical Yoga, which marked the classical period of yoga. Further, Modern yoga is believed to have begun with the Parliament of Religions held in Chicago in 1893 where the young Swami Vivekananda made a lasting impression on the world by espousing Yoga and Vedanta philosophy.

In continuation with this legacy, the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi while addressing the 69th session of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 27, 2014, urged the world community to adopt an international Day of Yoga. GoI successfully organised the First International Day of Yoga (IDY) on 21st June, 2015 at Rajpath, New Delhi along with a two days International Conference on "Yoga for Holistic Health" wherein about 1300 delegates from India and abroad participated. Millions of people in India and across the globe participated in the First International Day of Yoga celebration on 21st June. Outside India, IDY was celebrated in all the UNGA member countries except war torn Yemen, by the missions under Ministry of External Affairs in association with Ministry of AYUSH and various Yoga institutions and organisations.

Yoga tourism in India:

Various States in India have well established ancient yogic practices and holistic wellness centres which promote yoga among the people. These States offer a diverse basket of healthcare services and rejuvenation amenities like yoga, meditation, ayurveda, homeopathy, naturopathy, unani, etc to tourists at reasonable prices. Various Indian States have taken novel initiatives through their tourism policy which is supplemented by activities of various yoga schools of different philosophies. The details of the State recognised Yoga Institutes and related Departments (Depart of AYUSH) in various States are given below. Further, additional details are available on National Health Portal of India,https://www.nhp.gov.in/and related websites of the various State governments.

Some of the States with proven capabilities of Yoga tourism are mentioned below for the illustrative purpose.

1. Uttarakhand

Rishikesh is one of holiest spiritual destinations located on banks of the sacred Ganga in Uttarakhand, India. Known as Yoga Capital of the World, it attracts lots of pilgrims every year from India and all over the world. Rishikesh is known for Yoga and meditation therapies where many ashrams in Rishikesh offers courses on meditation, yoga, and philosophy.

Kerala is renowned for health tourism facilities and owes a lot to yoga and Ayurveda treatment facilities. The State promotes apart from the scenic beauty of nature, Yoga and Ayurveda therapies for its popularity as a wellness tourism State. The huge number of Yoga retreat centres in Kerala affirm its priority to Kerala’s tourism.

3. Maharashtra

The State’s tourism policy has Yoga and meditation as an integral component which aims at attracting international tour operators and tourists. Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur are home to some of the best state of the art hospitals in South Asia. These institutes also have rich experience in research and development and have a unique culture of practicing wellness, yoga, Ayurveda etc. in the State. The State provides complete packages of such above mentioned practices to these tourists as well as domestic travelers.

4. Assam

Assam Government through Assam Bikash Yojana, a Self- employment Generation Scheme in Tourism Sector, has facilitated and sponsored the development of Yoga training centres at various tourist places in the State. Further, Assam government has decided to set up yoga development centres in more than 300 development blocks across the State. The centres will have the objective to inculcate scientific temperament by imparting yoga knowledge to the youth.

5. Karnataka

Karnataka, home to the world renowned yoga master B K S Iyengar and the Iyengar yoga, continues to marvel and attract people to yoga training which is also complemented by world-class hospitals that provide qualitative and cost-effective treatment in cities like Bangalore and Mysore. Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Homeopathy, Allopathy and other recognised forms of treatment are promoted under health tourism.

6. Puducherry

Puducherry is the spiritual land where many Siddhas and Saints attained salvation. In this beautiful and peaceful spiritual land, many research works were done on yoga where two Yoga Institutions of world fame are functioning. The Government of Puducherry has been conducting Yoga Festivals regularly which comprises Yogasana practicals, Presentation of papers, discourses & workshops, Yoga Therapy, Yogic food, Yogic music & dance etc. which is a major attraction for tourists.

7. Odisha

Odisha Government has proposed a 100 crore project for developing the Buddhist Circuit of Odisha under the Swadesh Darshan scheme of Central Government to promote wellness and religious tourism which are major attractions for tourists to the state. It encompasses mainly yoga, performing arts, temple food and cuisine, and festivals.

8. Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh has been on the forefront for Yoga and Ayurveda and ancient treatment systems which are available there. For promotion of health tourism the UP Government has proposed various initiatives like opening of yoga wellness centers in all UP districts. While in 40 districts, the centers will come up in Ayurveda, Unani and Homeopathy government hospitals existing there, in remaining 35 districts the State Government will partner the Central Government for opening a centre in each of them.

Further, the Government will establish specialized centers of Ayurveda and Unani methods of treatment in Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Saharanpur and Banda along with starting post graduate courses in State Ayurveda College and Hospital in Varanasi and Unani College, Allahabad.

9. Gujarat

The state Department of AYUSH has decided to push yoga not only as a mind and body fitness module, but also as a cure for various diseases. With this objective, the department has decided to conduct disease-oriented yoga sessions. These sessions would be held at ayurvedic hospitals in Ahmedabad, Patan, Rajkot and Limdi (Dahod). The Department of AYUSH would rope in specialised yoga instructors as well as take help from various NGOs in spreading awareness on these disease-oriented camps.

12. Goa

Goa has promoted itself as a Centre for wellness and yoga tourism at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) event held in Dubai to attract travelers from the Middle East during the monsoon season. Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) feels that during the monsoons, when the Sea & Sand tourism is low, they will promote Ayurveda, Yoga and wellness tourism during this season of the year. This will allow people to visit Goa with a different purpose and will boost tourism in the State.

11. Jammu and Kashmir

With an aim to give fillip to the tourism sector in Jammu, an International Yoga Centre (IYC) will come up at Mantalai in Udhampur district as part of the ‘integrated development of tourist facilities’ project at Mantalai—Sudhmahadev-Patnitop circuit. Under the Prime Minister’s Development Programme Rs. 82.17 crore has been sanctioned by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, for the IYC at Mantalai as a part of integrated development of tourist facilities at Mantalai- Sudhmahadev-Patnitop circuit. The project includes construction of yoga centre with associated infrastructure, wellness, spa, ayurveda complex, separate areas for traditional Indian spa therapies with library and archiving centre.

Visa Facility

Realising the spread and importance of yoga world over, the Ministry of Home Affairs has taken a decision to include short term yoga programmes in e-tourist visa scheme. Further, e-Visa is classified into e-Tourist Visa, e-Business Visa, and e-Medical Visa with the aim to promote investment friendly environment and to popularise Indian System of Medicine for international tourists.

List of State recognized Yoga Institute and related Departments in various States